Adding-register



(No Model.)

C. H. BIGELOW. ADDING REGISTER.

No. 593,715. Patented Nov. 16,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

CHARLES H. BIGELOW, OF LITCHFIELD, MINNESOTA.

ADDING-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,715, dated November16, 1897.

Application filed October l2, 1895. Serial No. 565.511. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. BIGELow, of Litchfield, Meeker county,State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAdding-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a mechanical aid to addition, whereby theprocess of adding a long column of figures may be greatly simpliiied. y

The object of my invention is to provide a register whereby theapproximate subtotals of addition may be kept in view, the odd iiguresor numbers being carried on mentally until the end of acolumn isreached, when the last figure of the number to be carried added to thetotal given by the register will give the footing of the column.

A further object 0f my invention is to provide an adding-register ofsmall size, one which may be conveniently held in the hand, and,further, a register of a very simple and cheap construction, whereby thedevice is placed within the reach of persons of ordinary means.

To this end my invention consists in the combination, with a suitablecasing, of two rollers arrangedl therein, a iigured tape provided uponsaid rollers, a ratchet mechanism and a gear for advancing the rollersand the tape, a retractile spring, and a key and mechansm for releasingthe rollers to permit the return of the same to the zero-mark upon thetape. l Y

My invention consists, further, in constructions and combinations, allas hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure l isa perspective view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view on theline an :r of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a detail of the adding mechanism. Fig.5 is a cross-section on the line y yof Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of the operating-arm. Fig. 7 shows the means for securing theadding-tape to the wheels.

In the drawings, 2 represents the casing of the register, which may beof wood, metal, or

any other suitable material that may be desired. It is provided with acover 3, which is secured thereto by screws, as shown in Fig. 3.

Within the casing 2 is arranged the adding mechanism, which comprisesthe wheels or rolls 4 and 5, mounted upon the shafts 6 and 7. The endsof the shaft 6 are journaled in bearings in the sides of the casing 2.One end of the shaft 7 is journaled in the side of the casing and itsopposite end is provided with a threaded opening to receive the end ofthe screw 8, which extends through the side of the casing and forms ajournal for that end of the shaft. This screw is preferably providedWit-h a button or knob 8 upon its outer end, and the same is used as abrake when the rolls are being revolved backward to rewind the tape onroll 4.

The wheel 5 is provided with a ratchet-gear upon one side' in positionto be engaged by the inwardly-turned end of the sliding dog 9, whichextends along within the casing parallel to one side thereof. The dogextends through one end of the casing, as shown in Fig. 2, and isprovided upon its outer end with a button l0, to be pressed when it isdesired to operate the machine.

The end of the casing 2 is provided with a recess or depression,preferably circular in form, to receive the button l0' when pressed uponto operate the machine, and within this recess and coiled about theshank of the long pin dog or pawl 9 is a spring 1l, which normally holdsthe button, as shown in Fig. 2. Within the casing 2 and secured to oneside thereof is a flat spring ll', having its free end turned inwardlyand provided with a square slot 12 to receive the squared portion of thedog 9, which is freely slidable therein.

The spring 1l serves the double purpose of a guide for the dog 9 andalso tends to hold the end of the same in engagement with the teeth ofthe ratchet.

A spring 13 is secured to the side of the casing to the left of thesliding dog and extends toward the opposite side of the casing. lt isprovided upon one edge with an offset portion or lug le, which engagesthe teeth of the ratchet and prevents backward move- IOO ment of thesame while the device is being operated.

rllhe free end of the spring 13 is in close proximity to the sliding dog9, and an arm or push-rod 15 is provided extending between the wheels 6and '7 and through an opening in the side of the casing. The inner endof the arm or push-rod 15 is in position to engage the surface of thespring 13, so that its lug 1-lE will be disengaged from the teeth of theratchet when the arm 15 is pressed in. The movement of the arm 15 todisengage the lug li from the ratchet-teeth moves the spring 13 intoengagement with the shank of the dog 9 and disengages its end from theteeth of the ratchet.

Upon the shaft G is arranged a clock-spring 1G, having one end securedto the shaft and its opposite end to the side of the casing. Upon thewheel i l provide a tape 17, having one end secured to the peripherythereof and its opposite end to the periphery of the wheel Theclockspring 1G tends to keep the tape wound upon the wheel Li.

As shown in Fig. Ll, the tape is provided with a series of numerals'from O up to 500 or higher, according to the length of the tape, eachnumber from O up being twenty (or any number of) units larger than thenumber immediately preceding it. The cover of the casing is providedwith a slot or opening 18, through which one of the numbers on the tapewill be visible when the machine is being op erated. y

The periphery of each wheel is provided with a triangular slot or recessin which the end of the tape is placed, and secured therein by thetriangular block l), which is held in place by suitable screws, as shownin Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. (5, the shank of the dog 9 is flattened, sothat it may be sprung to one side slightly to permit the end of theshank to be disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet.

"When it is desired to add a column of iigures, the register is set at Oand a number of 1i gures in the column added together mentally until thesum of the figures exceeds twenty, but is not over thirty. The registeris then set at 20 and the units in excess of that number carried forwardmentally and the addition continued until the sum exceeds or equalstwenty again. The registeris then set at 40 and the units over twentyfrom the last addition carried forward, and so on until the column isentirely footed up, and then the number of units over twenty 'from thelast addition added to the number indicated by the register will be thesum total of the column. As soon as one column is added the slidingdogis disengaged from the ratchet and the spring on the shaft 0 rewindsthe tape on the wheel L1, ready for the addition of the next column.Before adding the second column Athe right hand or units ligure of thesum total of the first column is written down and the other figurescarried forward, in ordinary addition.

'While l have shown the tape marked with numbers that are multiples oftwenty, it is obvious that the tape might be marked with a series ofnumbers beginning with 30, the succeeding numbers being multiplesthereof, it being my idea to vary the multiple accerding to therequirements of the user.

lf desired, the tape may bc marked with a series of numbers beginningwith 1077 and followed by numbers that are multiples of ten; but lprefer to mark the tape as shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, i claim as new and desire to secureby '.iietters Patentm l. In a device of the class described, thecombination with a casing provided with a cover having a slot oropening, of rolls arranged within said casing, a tape having its endssecured respectively to the periphcries of said rolls, and provided uponits face with a series of numbers, each being a multiple of the lowestnumber of the series, a ratchet provided on the face of one of saidrolls, a sliding dog having one end in engagement with the teeth of theratchet and its opposite end extending through said casing, aspring forhol( ling said dog in engagement with said ratchet and forming also aguide for the same, means preventing the backward movement of theratchet during the process of adding, means extending without saidcasing for releasing said ratchet from said dog and detcnt to pen mitthe backward movement thereof, and a spring for revolving said ratchetand its roll lmekward, and rewinding the tape upon the opposite roll,substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination, with the easing,o1' the rolls arranged thcrein, the tape, the ratchet upon the face ofone of said rolls, the sliding dog, the springfor holding said deg inengagement with the teeth of the ratchet, said spring hav-- ing a sletto receive the shank of the dog forming a guide therefor, a secondspring having an offset portieri to engage the teeth of the ratchet toprevent backward movement thereof, means extending without said casingfor simultaneously disengaging said dogl and said ol'lset portion fromthe teeth oi the ratchet, a spring for revolving said rolls bac/k wardto rewind said tape, and means for limiting the speed of the backwardmovement of said rolls, substantially s describe 'i.

In a device of the class described, the combination, with the casing, oithe rolls ar ranged therein, the tape, the ratchet upon the face of oneof said rolls, the sliding dog, the spring for holding said dog inengagement with the teeth of the ratchet, said spring liar-- ing a slotto receive the shank of the dog and forming a guide there for, a secondspring' hav" ing an offset portion to engage the teeth of IIC:

the ratchet to prevent backward movement my hand this 30th day ofSeptember, A. D. thereof, and means extending Without said 1895. easingfor simultaneously disengaging said dog and said offset portion from theteeth of CHARLES H' BIGELOW' 5 the ratchet, substantially as describedand In presence of for the purpose set forth. A. F. FOSTER,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set EDW. P. PETERSON.

